West Ham United ended its 47-year absence from a significant European final by defeating AZ Alkmaar 1-0 in the second leg of the Europa Conference League semi-finals. West Ham would have been happy with the opening 45 minutes given their narrow advantage from the first leg and Alkmaar’s inability to create clear-cut opportunities, while the visitors’ Lucas Paqueta struck the crossbar.
In the second quarter, Alphonse Areola faced challenges from Sven Mijnans and Pantelis Chatzidiakos, adding to the pressure on the Hammers. Pablo Fornals, though, sprinted free to smash the ball past Mathew Ryan to win a 3-1 aggregate victory and secure West Ham’s position in a significant European final for the third time in their history after Alkmaar abandoned caution.
West Ham, who placed second in 1976 and won the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1965, put up a valiant effort despite being exhausted and spending the majority of the game chasing their opponents. On June 7 in Prague, the championship game will be played against either FC Basel or Fiorentina.
When Formals ran away to score the game-winning goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time, West Ham had a solid defense and were running out of time. AZ put up a valiant battle, but West Ham handled everything their hosts threw at them with ease, demonstrating the difference in class between them and their Dutch rivals.
David Moyes’ Strategy Gave An Upper Hand To West Ham Against Alkmaar
After coming from behind to win 2-1 in the first leg, West Ham had a slender lead to protect in the Netherlands. The Hammers were obviously prepared to withstand Alkmaar’s assault and launch a counterattack right away.
Even though Alkmaar controlled possession, the English club showed a more dangerous offensive threat in the first half. Jarrod Bowen missed a safe shot from a good position after the Dutch failed to clear the lines. Paqueta dribbled inside onto his left foot as the first quarter came to a close before firing the ball onto the outside of the post.
Declan Rice attempted to counter the home team’s building momentum from a distance, forcing Ryan into an excellent stop. With a long-range strike from Chatzidiakos, Alkmaar kept possession of the ball and placed Areola under strain. However, they ran out of alternatives while facing a staunch and staunch West Ham defense.
As the clock ticked down, the home team became agitated, allowing West Ham to escape via Fornals, who slammed home the winning goal in the 94th minute to set off wild celebrations among the visiting fans. The Europa Conference League championship game between West Ham and Fiorentina will now take place on June 7 in Prague.
How Pablo Fornals Made History By Booking A Spot For The Hammers in Europa Conference League final
West Ham defeated AZ Alkmaar 1-0 while maintaining composure to advance to the Europa Conference League final and end their 43-year trophy drought. Pablo Fornals, a substitute, scored the game-winning goal in stoppage time, setting off nasty scenes as West Ham players and the coaching staff attempted to dissuade AZ fans from hitting visiting fans behind the dugout.
Because West Ham had the upper hand in the first leg, they were able to position themselves for a counterattack whereas AZ Alkmaar was willing to keep possession. On the other side, the Dutch squad exhibited passivity and failed to dismantle the Hammers.
Both teams failed to attempt a goal in the opening 45 minutes as a result of nerves. The hosts came out much more aggressively as the game started, prompting Alphonse Areola to make two saves to stop long-range shots from Sven Mijnans and Pantelis Hatzidiakos. Former Brighton and Arsenal goalkeeper Mat Ryan made an outstanding save on Declan Rice’s long-range attempt.
Substitute Fornals then used his fresh legs to break through the exhausted AZ defense and score in stoppage time to put the game out of reach and secure West Ham’s place in the final.
